MADRID, Feb 20 (Reuters) - The chief executive of

Spanish oil company Repsol said on Thursday he expected

U.S. President Donald Trump's energy policies would have a

positive impact on the gas industry including increased output

and lower prices.

"The new licenses to export LNG are going to increase

demand," Josu Jon Imaz, whose company produces gas in the United

States, said in a call with investors.

The increased supply will help bring gas prices down

globally thus bolstering European heavy industry which relies on

gas for energy, he said.

Trump ordered a lifting of the freeze on LNG export

approvals the day he came into office for a second time on

January 20 and the U.S. Energy Department started granting new

licenses last week.

Former President Joe Biden had paused the issue of new

licenses early last year.

Imaz said cheaper gas would also lead to lower carbon

emissions as it would help countries in the Global South to

switch from coal to gas-fired power plants.

The U.S. is trying to increase its LNG exports to help

reduce Europe's dependency on Russian gas after Moscow's

invasion of Ukraine three years ago.